Monday, June 30, 2008

The first five are all smoking dance oriented tunes, the last four are very "Afro Cuban jazz concert" oriented and really swing with tight punchy horn arrangements, a killer drummer who doesn't miss an accent, an electric guitarist who swings.

Sunday, June 29, 2008

From 1991 to 2000 I played bongoes with a small group here in N.Y.C. called Julian Ávalos y 'Grupo Afro Andes'.All the musicians in the band were from Peru, except me.We played clubs, however my my favorite gigs I played with the band were often "underground" down in the metro N.Y.C. Subway system.

Once a year, the 'New York City Transit Authority' holds auditions for individual musicians and bands who after being chosen, then take part all year long in what is called "Music Under New York". Every type of music from Classical, rap, Chinese, Arabian, country music, opera, Peruvian, jazz, string quartets, Cuban Son and anything else you can imagine.There was a guy who played a "wash tub bass" and sang 1950's "doo wop" who was amazing.

If you are chosen by the judges, you get a "permit" to play down in the Subway for a year, usually at major stations like Times Square 42nd street, or Herald Square 34th street, my favorite station. The "favored" bands get to play at the best stations, meaning lots of people passing by and listening. You are only allowed to play for 2-3 hours. The leader of the band receives a letter every month telling which stations and the times to play at.If you play at really busy prime stations.... and also sell your bands CD's .... you can make mucho $.

The members of the band were the leader 'Julian Ávalos' singing & playing an electric "Steinberger 12 string" guitar, his brother 'Pedro Avalos' playing a "Peruvian Cajón" (wooden box), another brother 'Julio' who walked around in the crowd and sold the bands CD's and once in a while played a "shaker", 'Hugo' singing & playing electric Fender bass and ArturoFlores.... who came from a Peruvian family of MASTER flute makers and played two or three different single "Queña" flutes he made himself.

Very sadly..... Arturo Flores died Nov. 2008.... he was riding his bicycle in Queens, N.Y...a car hit him.... he fell off and hit his head on a parked car... he is very much missed by his family and all of us who had the good fortune to play music with him.

These Peruvian musicians while totally capable of playing indigenous music of Peru, were really into Cuban Son and Guaracha, especially being influenced by the Cuban duo 'Los Compadres'. ('Los Compadres' recorded several LPs in Peru)

We always had so much fun.Down in the N.Y.C. Subway system is literally the "crossroads of the world", a microcosm of every single ethnicity you can think of. As well as rich people, poor people, college professors, fat people, skinny people, crazy people, sane people, sexy hot secretary's on their way to, or coming from work, other musicians, people in wheelchairs, famous athletes, dancers, actors, politicians, undercover police, hookers, drag queens, young, old, children, tourists, native New Yorkers, booking agents, famous haute couture designers, I have even seen the Mayor of N.Y.C. and Governor of N.Y. down there while we played.All experiences I'll never forget.

I took a video camera down there one day, put it on a tripod and pressed record.This is not rocket science.. simply gritty street music. Or should I say, subway music?

Born: July 26, 1926 Pernambuco, Brasil.Died: of a stroke at age 80 August 6 2006, in Los Angeles.

Four of my favorite LPs and in my opinion, his most prolific works.1965 - his first LP "Coisas" recorded in Brasil. (reissued)1972 - his never reissued and now obscure "Maestro" LP recorded in L.A.1974 - his "Saudade" LP recorded in L.A. (only available as a Japan import)1975- his never reissued and now obscure "Carnival Of The Spirits" LP recorded in L.A.1978 - his "Opus 3 nº 1" LP recorded in L.A.

Comedian George Carlin, a counter-culture hero famed for his routines about drugs, dirty words and the demise of humanity, died of heart failure at a Los Angeles-area hospital on Sunday, June 22. He was 71.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Above is the original'61-'62cover on the Areito Egrem label.With "all 12" original songs.

"Con To' Los Hierros"

This was the 1970's "Bootleg" LP on the Manopla label, poor sound andmissing 2 songs: "Vacilaguanco" and "En Un Avion" from the original LP.

This is a recent "Japanese import" bootleg vinyl LP, includes all 12 songs of the original LP, It sells for $99.00 on Ebay.

It's really impossible to pick a "best" record by the four 'Abreu' brothers "Los Papines", as all their recordings are superb.However these three are among my favorite Los Papines LP's.

1. "Fantasia En Ritmo" on Areito from 1961 or 1962.The four Abreu brothers together with a large orchestra, the interplay between them and the orchestra shows their virtuosity not only in their drumming, but their vocal harmonic sensibility.The original LP "Fantasia En Ritmo" included two tracks which were not included on the bootleg LP "Con To' Los Hierros" that was put out on the Manopla label, "Vacilaguancó" and "En Un Avion" that los hermanos Abreu sang "A cappella", with no instruments other than the Tympani roll at the beginning and then again at the end of the song.

It must have been an amazing recording session in that there was no multi-tracking/overdubbing.The four brothers played together with the whole orchestra live in the studio, if you listen to theincredible arrangements...... not an easy recording to do.The Abreu brothers were born in Marianao, Cuba (Chano Pozo was also born Marianao).

"Oye Men Listen... Guaguanco!"

2. "Oye Men Listen... Guaguanco!", my second favorite Papines LP given to me by my father when I was 14 years old. This is a real gem by them that includes the classics: "Quimbombo" (composed by Luis "Lilí" Martínez Griñán), "Hipocresia Y Falsedad", "Buenas Noches Che Che", "El Escapulario", the Abakúa "Eron Gri efó", "Los Beodos" and of course the classic original "Mi Quinto" writen by both Pascual Herrera and Ricardo Abreu.... Pasual Herrera singing and Ricardo showing his superb and very "musical" Quinto style.

*Note: They spelled "Trinidad Torregrosa's" last name wrong and he died in 1977, so for him to be playing Bata on this, it would have had to be recorded in or before 1977.For some reason, this doesn't sound like a '70's recording to me, it was recorded in 1998 and released in 2000.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Great photo him in the Panart recording studio."Niño" Rivera was also a major figure within the "Filin" (feeling) music genré in Cuba during the late 50's into the 60's."Niño" Rivera is one of my three favorite tresero's.His playing style and the way he tunes his tres is unlike anyone else.

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Welcome to Fidels Eyeglasses!

Cuban LP's and recordings which include particular "styles" and "forms" of (playing & singing) "Cuban" music that unfortunately have become, or are on their way to becoming lost art forms.As well as related materiel which may not be "directly" from Cuba.

Mostly LP's that are either long out of print and-or obscure and music from "my own personal collection".

Occasionally some Brasilian things will be added that are hard to find, even on the other great Brasilian blogs, many that are listed in my Blog links.And maybe some things that have nothing to do with Cuban or Brasilian music.

It takes time to do all this, scanning the covers, resizing and uploading, often changing & correcting the info.

****NOTE: DIVSHARE HAS GONE OUT OF BUSINESS WHICH MEANS MANY HUNDREDS OF SOUND FILES ON THIS BLOG WHICH TOOK 6 YEARS TO COMPILE ARE DEAD, SOME ARE STILL PLAYABLE, BUT UNTIL I FIND A NEW SOUND FILE HOST SERVICE, MANY WON'T PLAY.

About Me

Professional musician / percussionist.
Living, working and teaching in Manhattan, N.Y.C., U.S.A.
Born and raised in Manhattan, N.Y.C.
Lived in New Orleans from 1972 to 1986.
Produced and hosted the first Cuban music radio program in New Orleans on WWOZ from 1980-1986.
Been back in N.Y.C. 28 years and planing on getting the hell out very soon.